isolated incident
/ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd ˈɪnsɪdənt/noun phrase★Intermediate💡 a single event that is not part of a pattern
⚖️Law
formal
an event that occurs alone and is not connected to other similar events
The company reported the data breach as an isolated incident.
The data breach was a single event, not part of a series of security failures.
💡
Often used in legal, security, or corporate contexts to downplay the significance of an event.
Collocations
isolated incident of violencea single violent event not part of a patternisolated incident reporta document describing a single, unrelated event
Antonyms
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Context Matters
This phrase is often used to minimize concern, so check for bias in reporting.
⚡Gold Rule
Legal Use
In legal contexts, 'isolated incident' may imply lack of liability or pattern.
📖Word Origin
From 'isolated' (separated) + 'incident' (event), combining to describe a lone event.
📝Usage Notes
Often used to reassure the public or stakeholders that an event is not part of a larger problem.
Word Breakdown
isolated
separate or alone
adjectiveincident
an event or occurrence
nounEnglish Dictionary